The winner of the 2016 Jackson County Fair queen contest had the chance to connect with a lot of young girls in the community during and after the fair.

Kaitlin McPike now hopes to be able to make more connections with young girls around the state by winning the Indiana State Fair queen contest, set for this weekend at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on the state fairgrounds in Indianapolis.

The 21-year-old Medora woman said she has mixed feelings about competing in the pageant.

“I am excited for the opportunity to represent our county and meet other county queens, but I am nervous for the larger crowd that I will be in front of this weekend,” she said.

McPike said her favorite part of being Miss Jackson County Fair 2016 has been the connection she has had with young girls in the community.

“Winning the title of Miss Jackson County Fair 2016 made for a very fun fair week and enabled me to meet more people in the community,” she said. “I would advise other girls to participate in the fair queen pageant for the overall experience, as it gives girls great interview practice and the opportunity to present themselves in a business suit and evening gown.”

The state pageant consists of a three-day process with interviews Friday, the preliminary portion Saturday and the finals Sunday.

“I have prepared a one-minute speech that will be delivered on Saturday evening and again on Sunday if I make the top 16,” McPike said. “The interview will be different than the county fair, as the state pageant consists of three three-minute interviews compared to one interview.”

The top 16 semifinalists will be announced during the public queen pageant finals Sunday. The field will later be narrowed to 10 finalists before a winner is picked.

The preliminary competition starts at 5 p.m. Saturday, and the finals begin at 1 p.m. Sunday. Both days require their own ticket, which are $10 each and may be purchased at the box office at the coliseum.

Read the full story in Wednesday’s Tribune and online at tribtown.com.